1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling biological functions with mechanical vibration and the device therefor. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for controlling biological functions through the application of mechanical vibration, thus making it possible to artificially control the functions of cells, tissues and the like, and a device therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Methods for controlling the cellular functions of cultivated cells as biological material have been extensively researched and evaluated, most of which additionally involved liquid factors such as proteins. Methods for transducing genes or adding polymer materials have been also reported upon. However, in methods accompanied by the addition of xenobiotica, the origin of the liquid factors to be added may cause problems in many cases. For example, when an animal-derived liquid factor exists, the type of the animal from which the liquid factor was derived, namely, whether the liquid factor is from a rabbit, sheep, human being, or other may cause problems. Further, there are many cases in which the cost of the liquid factors is a problem. Regarding gene transduction, various methods are under examination, namely, electroporation, a method for transducing genes by using a virus as a vector, a method for promoting gene transduction by using synthetic substances or the like, or a method for directly transducing genes by using micro syringe. However none of the foregoing has so far provided satisfactory effects. In addition, a method for using viruses is very effective at the investigation level, but when the method is applied to the human body as a therapeutic method, problems of an etiologic nature, safety, etc. always develop.
In relation to physical methods, controlling cellular functions by using methods such as hydrostatic pressure, cell spreading, and ultrasonic wave are also considered. It is known that stimulation by these physical methods effectively contributes to growth that includes the proliferation and differentiation of cells and tissues through the activation of various biological factors such as interleukin, cytokine and TNF-α or through the regulation of mechanisms such as inhibition and secretion.
However, with respect to the conventional methods for applying physical stimulation, the correlation between stimulation and the effect on cells is not always clear, and guidelines for selecting the method of applying the stimulation or controlling conditions of applying the stimulation are not presented. Thus, the methods for applying physical stimulation are not established as a simple and effective way which is practical.
In light of the situation described above, the present invention has the objective of providing a new method for controlling various biological functions and the appropriate device which solves conventional technology problems. The present invention avoids using conventional liquid factors that have origin-related problems or using synthetic polymer materials. Alternatively, the present invention may reduce to a large extent the quantity of such liquid factors or synthetic polymers required. The present invention also takes advantage of the characteristics of applying stimulation as a physical method to promote the proliferation of cells and reactions within cells or tissues simply, effectively and in a practical way, thereby inducing differentiation. In addition, the present invention also provides a new method for transducing genes.